Tim Tebow Must Accept Italian League Team's Offer If He's Serious About Being QB

Maybe Tim Tebow has been more concerned about being a star than an NFL quarterback all along?

Tebow, the king of intangibles, looks prepared to give up on being an NFL quarterback in lieu of lucrative television gigs.

If this wasn't the case, Tebow would be finding a football league that would take him in hopes of proving he can throw a football better better than the Play 60 kid.

Instead, as Jason McIntyre of The Big Lead reports, Tebow is ready to make the jump to being a television personality.

That may or may not be true. Tebow hasn't come out and said as much.

There have not been reports, however, of similar interest in the former Heisman Trophy winner extending his playing career.

There haven't been any offers from NFL teams, but there has been an offer extended to Tebow from the LA KISS to step under center in the Arena Football League. There was also an offer by the Moscow Black Storm, an American football team in Russia, and now an offer by the Milano Seamen, per the Boston Globe's Ben Volin:

Now, if you're like me, your initial reaction is one of surprise that there is professional American football being played in places like Russia and Italy. And to be fair to these offers, I imagine that is part of the point.

I now know, for instance, that KISS has furthered its transformation from rock gods to corporation by purchasing an Arena Football League team, and that Giorgio Armani used to own the Seamen. It's a ton of free publicity to connect oneself to Tebow.

As a side note, I'd like to announce that I will pay Tebow half of my profits to play in my Flag Football/Garage Sale Extravaganza in May. I'll provide details when other media outlets pick up this news.

My flag football game may have a more sophisticated brand of football than is being run by the Seaman.

According to the sleuth work of For the Win's Chris Chase, the Seamen range from ages 16 to 48 and there is a 216-pound offensive lineman.

Obviously, this is not going to be the most competitive brand of football for Tebow to prove he is ready to start fulfilling the promise that made him a first-round draft pick of the Denver Broncos and a playoff-winning quarterback.

However, Tebow doesn't need to prove his athletic ability, toughness or dedication. He simply needs to prove he can throw a football within catching distance of his intended target.

After checking the non-existent exchange rate for throwing accuracy from America to Italy, it looks like making the ball go where one wants it to go will present the same problems in any league.

Will Tebow ever take another snap in the NFL?

Yes. He won't give up his dream and will find a team.No. He's done. Submit Votevote to see results

Will Tebow ever take another snap in the NFL?

Yes. He won't give up his dream and will find a team.

57.3%

No. He's done.

42.7%

Total votes: 429

Now, Tebow wouldn't have to go play in Italy for a full season. As the Associated Press' Andrew Dampf points out, Tebow's contract offer is only for $200,000. He could talk to the Seamen about having that sum paid for a game or two.

The Italian league's season starts in March and ends in July. This would be prime time for Tebow to get some tape out there for NFL teams as they open camp.

The 26-year-old could go to work on his throwing mechanics and accuracy in private sessions. There could have "leaked" reports about how much progress he is making, and then he could put that on display in an actual game.

The thing with Tebow has long been that he is better in games than practices anyway. Getting some good throws on tape could be enough to get him a camp invite.

He certainly isn't going to get any not playing.

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He may not get it by playing, either.

After Tebow was cut by the Patriots this past season and left unemployed while quarterbacks like the Bills' Thad Lewis or the Jaguars' Blaine Gabbert took starting snaps under center this year, it is clear that Tebow has to prove himself to get back into the NFL.

For someone who has accomplished as much as Tebow has on the football field, his path back to the NFL is going to be slightly embarrassing, and it's likely not nearly as lucrative as what he could make talking about football on TV.

I certainly couldn't knock him for turning to TV. However, if playing in the NFL is really Tebow's ultimate dream, going down the path that takes him to Italy or the Arena league is not all that big of an obstacle.

Of course, for someone who dreamed of stardom as much as professional gridiron success, turning down an opportunity to play with teenagers and crafty over-the-hill veterans in Italy for a chance to be on American TV every week would be a solid career move.